UPDATE: Cheese sent to lawmakers was made in Texas by company headquartered in California

A spokesperson from the dairy group returned call for comment after the original story was published and said the cheese was made in Dalhart, Texas, but the company is headquartered in California, which is why the label on the cheese gifted to all senators and representatives indicated a California address.

“The cheese was made with Texas milk in a Texas plant,” said Kirsten Voinis, a spokesperson for the Texas Association of Dairymen, noting that the Hilmar Cheese Company is headquartered in Hilmar, California. “It is very much a Texas product.”

Voinis said the group traditionally sends cheese packages to all lawmakers each session. The dairy group has a team of at least four lobbyists with contracts worth up to $49,999, ethics filing show.

Original story:

Picture via TwitterIf ever there was a story that called for a cheesy lede, this is it.

A picture posted on Twitter by a senate staff member Friday showed an appreciation package sent to lawmakers from the Texas Association of Dairymen that included a block of mild cheddar cheese with a manufacturing address in Hilmar, California.

A letter sent with the package reads, “Please accept this gift of cheese… In appreciation of your hard work this legislative session on behalf of the people of Texas.”

Each of the three senators’ offices called confirmed they received the same package of California-made cheese from the Texas dairy group.

A call to the Texas Association of Dairymen went to voicemail and has yet to be returned.

State ethics laws allow lawmakers to accept unlimited food gifts, but they must report it if the value exceeds $250.

The cheese was manufactured by the Hilmar Cheese Company, according to the packaging, which is located about 100 miles east of San Francisco.

The group’s site says it works with the legislature “for the interest and benefit of Texas´ dairy farmers” and its members include “dairy cooperatives whose members actively produce milk from dairy cows in the state of Texas.”